Benefits and Responsibilties
What are the Benefits of Renting to a Tenant with a Housing Choice Voucher?
BHA will pay the rent subsidy every month, on time and guaranteed! If the family vacates your apartment in violation of the lease, you can still keep the payment from BHA for the month they left.
You are protected from financial loss if your tenant suffers unexpected financial hardship. When this happens, the subsidy payment is increased to compensate for your tenant's lower income. BHA can help prevent your vacant apartments from remaining empty for too long since there are hundreds of qualified tenants waiting for housing.
If you attempt to evict a tenant for good cause, you will continue to receive BHA's portion of the rent until the tenant leaves the apartment.
Are there any Additional Responsibilities Placed on Owners when Participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
The Housing Choice Voucher program requires little beyond that which is required by law. Once a year, BHA will inspect the apartment and make sure that it is in compliance with HUD’s Minimum Housing Quality Standards, Chapter II of the State Sanitary Code, and laws regarding lead paint compliance. Please see a checklist of common items reviewed during BHA inspection of apartments.
Similarly, Housing Choice Voucher tenants have all the rights and responsibilities of unassisted tenants, except that they are responsible for only paying a portion of the rent. As with unassisted tenants, irreconcilable differences between the owner and the tenant must be settled by the Housing Court.
Are there any Restrictions?
Federal law does not allow BHA to approve an apartment for rental when the owner is the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sister, or brother of the Voucher holder or of any member of the Voucher holder's family. The only exception is if the apartment would provide reasonable accommodation for a member of the Voucher holder's family who is a person with a disability.